


Moekahi

by McDannoMauLoa



Series: McDanno: A Complete History [4]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Airplanes, Established Relationship, Flying, Hotels, M/M, Pining, Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-26
Updated: 2011-09-26
Packaged: 2017-10-24 01:33:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/257394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/McDannoMauLoa/pseuds/McDannoMauLoa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve goes to Los Angeles on assignment without Danny a month after their engagement. He finds it difficult to sleep without his partner.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moekahi

Steve rose from the water at the same time the sun peaked over the horizon. The Hawaiian morning began to streak across the sky over O’ahu, as Steve noticed his Danny had also risen early, and was sitting on the edge of a chaise on the lanai in one of Steve’s Navy t-shirts (which was too big for him) and his white Calvin Klein boxer briefs, sipping coffee out of his favorite mug. Danny turned up to kiss his fiancée good morning before Steve sat behind him and wrapped his arms around Danny’s middle. Danny shivered a bit at the cold water dripping on him, but he was mellowing. A month ago he would have complained bitterly at Steve, but it seemed a month of sharing his home and his life not only calmed Danny, but also reigned in Steve’s self-destructive impulses.

“Is this for me?” Steve asked, nodding at the extra cup of coffee on the railing.

“It is. I finally tried that flavored stuff you insist on buying and I have to admit it’s not bad. ” Danny said. Steve thought for a moment and took a sip. Ah, yes, the Lion Vanilla Macadamia Nut. Danny really was softening a bit.  Steve could feel Danny’s body tense as he hesitated, and he knew there was something else to share but was being reluctant. “The FBI office in LA called while you were out. They picked up Yoshida at LAX last night and they want your help interrogating him.”

Steve was incredulous. “They can’t just take the files and do it themselves?”

“I guess not.” Danny sighed. “Don’t you want to go?” He said, turning his head to the side, his voice suddenly quiet. “After all the time we spent chasing Yoshida I thought you’d be eager to wrap it up.”

“You’re coming too, right?”

“Babe, I’d like to, but they don’t need me. And Gracie’s got a piano… thing tonight. I promised.”

“Tonight?” Steve exclaimed. “They need me that soon?”

“You’re on the 2:20 Hawaiian Airlines flight.”

Steve nuzzled his chin over Danny’s shoulder. “For how long?”

“Two nights. Westin LAX. I wrote down everything inside. There’s toast that should have popped up by now too.”

Steve sighed again.

“You don’t want to go, do you?” Danny asked.

“No. Not without you.”

He’d been sharing his bed with Danny in the month they’d been engaged, and hadn’t slept apart since. Steve never remembered having slept better, and this morning, like the rest of them, seemed to have dawned brighter and more vibrant with the dawn glinting off Danny’s golden blond locks greeting him from the adjacent pillow whenever he opened his eyes.

Danny turned and gave him a kiss. “You know I love you even when you’re pouting.” He smiled.

“I’m not pouting.” Steve protested.

Danny knew better. “You’re pouting. You’re worse than Gracie sometimes. Now, go in, have that toast before it turns into floor tile, you can have first shower, and I’ll pack you some things.”

Steve kissed him again.”How about we _both_ have first shower? Is that guava jam I taste?”

“Yes. I got tired of you forgetting every time you went to the store so I stopped last night, special. Go get wet. I’ll be up in a minute.”

“You’re the best.” Steve said, getting up, forcing a smile. He really didn’t want to go.

***

Steve kept an eye out for Auntie K. at Hawaiian Airlines Ticketing this time around, but she wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Danny had insisted on coming to the gate with him; Steve felt grateful his badge was a free pass through security when he wasn’t in possession of a boarding pass. Danny was walking beside him, carrying his duffle bag, his free hand holding Steve’s.

“We’ve got time. Let’s stop for a bite.” Danny said.

“Danno, they’re going to feed us on the plane.”

Danny tugged at his hand. “A tiny little sandwich. Let’s get some real food in you.”

“You really have a strange relationship with food.” Steve joked as Danny tugged him away from his trajectory toward Gate 27 and toward the Central Concourse. Steve knew what Danny had in mind, and he smiled.

“I make sure my family is fed. I got it from Ma.”

Steve twitched. A month later, and he still wasn’t used to Danny calling him family. And not family in the way he called Five-0 _ohana_ , but honest-to-goodness _family_ in the legal document sense. Family in the “more kids are on the way” sense. He knew Danny wanted more kids, and he was onboard with that plan.

“Tell me why I’m staying at the airport again?” Steve asked.

“That’s a good question for the Feds.” Danny said. “I don’t know why they do what they do. Some sort of bizarre billing or pork barrel mess that’s beyond my realm of understanding. But I think it’ll be good for you, ya know, judging by the size of the file I stuffed in your bag you’re not getting any sleep on the plane. You’ll be getting in late and there’s a shuttle, so no getting lost in that mess of a city in the dark.”

Steve squeezed Danny’s hand in response and took a moment to look out over the tarmac. He loved coming to the airport because it was unique among the airports of the world. Open air breezeways letting the smell of surf and jet fuel waft in. Lots of brightly colored Hawaiian Airlines and Japan Air Lines birds, done up in their Hawai’i motifs, Alaska Airlines Eskimos wearing their pink lei, the US major carriers all lumbering in from the Mainland in the early afternoon sun. The part he hated about coming to the airport, he reflected, was that more often than not it meant he or someone he loved was leaving Hawai’i, and it always left a little bit of a hole in his heart, even if it were a short trip, like this one.

Steve’s appetite returned in an instant as they walked into Kona Brewing Co. and were promptly seated by a window.

“Hey maybe you can take a look at, I dunno, wedding things while you’re out there.” Danny suggested.

“What is it we’re lacking in?” Steve asked, amused. “Besides an actual date?”

“I was thinking June 18.” Danny said.

They were briefly interrupted to give their order, pulled pork sandwich for Danny, a salad for Steve.

“Sounds good to me.” Steve said. “Any reason why that date?”

“Royal Hawaiian has function space free.” Danny smirked.

“Fancy. Didn’t know your parents were giving us that much money.” Steve checked his watch and dug into the salad.

Danny shrugged. “They’re funny. I call and say, ‘I’m getting married.’ and what are they worried about? Not surprised for a moment that I’m marrying another man. Not even a little bit shocked that it’s you. The first words out of Ma’s mouth? ‘Check’s in the mail.’”

Steve laughed. “I can’t wait to meet her.”

Danny shook his head and chuckled in between bites. “She’s threatening to come out here in a few months to help plan. I think she’s already decided I’m the bride, even though you’re the one with that paperweight on your finger.”

Steve splayed his fingers and pondered his engagement ring. He’d gotten used to it, and was a bit relieved nobody had called it too girly (at least not to his face) because there was about a carat of diamonds perched upon it. “I still can’t believe how much you spent, Danno.” He said, suddenly shy.

“You don’t know how much I spent, exactly, just for the record. And whatever it is, you’re worth it.”

Steve smirked and tried not to roll his eyes. Did the man ever turn off?

Danny caught the eye roll Steve tried so hard to mask and steeled his gaze on his partner.

“You are.”

Steve smiled and concentrated on spearing another forkful of salad.

“We’d better head out.” Danny said, gesturing to the server. “Do you want to take half my sandwich on the plane with you or should I take it?”

“Since when do you leave half a sandwich?” Steve asked.

“Ate too many fries.” Danny shrugged.

Steve was rarely jealous of Danny, but watching him eat was one of the times he was. Steve watched his diet and exercise religiously, not necessarily out of vanity, he told himself, but because he was hypersensitive to the effects of whatever he put in his body. He’d feel wrecked after a plate of fries, while Danny managed to eat them with a smile and remain as fit and trim as he did without any additional exercise aside from the odd run.

“Take it.” Steve said. “It’ll get soggy.”

As they walked toward the gate, Steve could see the big white Airbus A330 already waiting, loading the big pallets of baggage and cargo into the hold while two catering trucks serviced the forward and aft galleys for the five hour transpacific flight to Los Angeles. The ramp was a flurry of activity, all of it underneath similar Hawaiian Airlines wide bodies bound for various destinations on the West Coast, where they would arrive in the late evening.

He quizzed Danny on the contents of the bag he’d packed for him.

“Headphones?”

“My nice noise-cancelling ones, not those useless ear buds you have. Please bring them back to me safely.” Danny mock pleaded.

“Aww Mahalo babe.”

Danny continued. “Two each shirts and cargo pants, one shorts if you feel like it, swimsuit, sandals-“

“Slippers.” Steve corrected him.

“Whatever, slippers, sandals, mules, espadrilles—footwear, Steven! You also have a bag full of toiletries but you know that because you took it out at TSA, and two pairs scanty panties.”

“Danny!” Steve ducked and looked around; making sure nobody was within earshot. “They’re briefs, ok?”

“They’re tighty whities, Steven! Who wears tighty whities after seventh grade?”

“No wonder you like getting me out of them so quickly.” Steve retorted, louder than normal just to get under Danny’s skin.

It was Danny’s turn to duck and cover. “Ok, ok, point taken, we’re in public.” Danny was a little pink.

They reached Gate 27 and stood outside the sliding doors on the Wiki Wiki roadway where it was more private. Steve could hear the calls for boarding but he could tell by the row numbers they weren’t anywhere near finished.

Danny slipped the duffle bag over his partner’s shoulder and his arms around Steve’s waist.

“There’s something else in there too, if you get lonely.” He smiled.

“You know I will. What is it?”

“Save it.” Danny’s eyes sparkled while he squinted up at Steve in the afternoon sun. “Take it out when you really need a reminder of home.”

“I love your sentimental side.” Steve laughed. “Like that picture of New Jersey on your sun visor?”

“Super SEAL.” Danny sang, shook his head. “Didn’t notice I took it down did you?”

“You did? Why?”

“I’m pretty sure you know the answer to that Steven.” Danny fussed with the collar to the button down Steve was wearing over his gray v-neck t-shirt.

Steve smiled. “Guess I do.”

 _This will serve as the final boarding opportunity for Hawaiian Airlines Flight 2 with nonstop service to Los Angeles. All ticketed and confirmed passengers should now be onboard through Gate 27. Hawaiian Airlines is paging passenger McGarrett, please report immediately to Gate 27 for an on time departure. Mahalo._

“Gotta go baby.” Steve said.

Danny kissed him and held it. Long, soft, sweet, unmistakably Danny.

He must have looked pained because Danny’s tone was soothing a moment after he broke away. “You’ll be fine, babe. I’m a phone call away, and I’ll see you day after tomorrow. I love you.”

“I love you too.” Steve said, squeezing him close for a brief moment before letting go and pausing at the sliding glass doors to watch his partner turn to walk away.

He turned and did a fast walk through the empty departure lounge, done up in koa wood and concrete, toward the jet way, where he handed over his boarding pass and heard the boarding door close behind him as he hurried down the rubberized ramp and quickly found his seat, a window, third row from the door, window on his left. He liked that seat – not so far back that all you could see was wing, but close enough to the lav and the exit when it was time to deplane at LAX. The seat next to him was empty, too, which was always welcome.

His chest felt tight and he had a lump in this throat as the aircraft pushed back from the gate and the engines spooled to life. The safety demo was playing on the seatback screens and there was a young male flight attendant, Asian, quite thin, who seemed to have noticed Steve didn’t look so good. He caught Steve’s glance and motioned that he’d come by as soon as the video was done playing. Steve waved him off, but he came directly to Steve’s row as the video was ending.

“Are you ok?” he asked, concerned.

Steve nodded. “I’m fine. I fly all the time, I’m not one of those people who’s afraid to fly, I just kinda miss home already, you know?”

The flight attendant smiled. “Are you going for long?”

“Just two nights.” Steve said, sheepishly.

The flight attendant pretended to gasp. “That’s nothing! Not very much longer than me even! You’ll be back home in no time! It’s going to be a quick flight today anyway, just under five hours, so it’ll go by before you know it. I’m Chaz, and if you need anything, just let me know, ok?” He smiled again.

“I’m Steve.”

“Welcome aboard Steve. I’ll come see you when we’re in the air.”

“Mahalo.” Steve said.

Chaz threw up a shaka and headed back up the aisle.

Steve felt better. At least he wasn’t mooning over missing his partner so much anymore. He usually enjoyed the solitude of flying by himself but ever since he’d finally confessed to being in love with Danny that little New Jersey hot mess had managed to make everything he’d once enjoyed doing by himself and improve it to the point where doing it alone again didn’t hold the same satisfaction it once did. He wanted his Danno next to him, snoring softly on his shoulder, or poking fun at the inflight menu, or waxing neurotic about airline safety procedures.

He sighed and leaned against the window, watching the landscape turn more golden as the sun began to slip down out of the sky in a slow freefall toward the western ocean. He realized the plane was taxiing out to the reef runway, quite a ways from the terminal. He observed the palms blowing in the trade winds. Palm trees always seemed more delicate and fragile near airports, tossing frantically in the wind coming off the water and the jet blast of the passing airliners.

The big bird turned and the throttles opened on the engines culminating in a familiar buzz saw sound when they reached their zenith, and the giant aircraft’s superb aerodynamic capabilities took over after less than a minute and the ship tilted her nose into the air and clawed her way into the Hawaiian skies. Steve could easily pick out the aircraft he’d been watching from the restaurant, some still at their gates, some on their way to the reef runway behind his flight.

The plane banked slightly to avoid overflying Waikiki directly, and from his vantage point Steve could pick out Five-0 headquarters, and almost thought he could make out the Camaro parked on one side, but he couldn’t be sure. Either way, he knew, Danny was down there, contained on that little parcel of an island, and while he could always worry that perhaps he wasn’t safe, at least he knew he was _there_. The City of Honolulu began to shrink even faster as portions of it disappeared behind the clouds. Seconds later Steve picked out his house on the Windward shore for a brief moment before it was obscured by more cloud cover and the PA chimed with the cheery voice of a flight attendant giving service information, followed by the pilot giving an updated arrival time into Los Angeles and local weather.

He wondered if Mary might be around. It was hit or miss whether she would answer the phone, and today was no exception. It felt so weird that he would hear from his sister so infrequently, but he’d at least been able to call and tell her the good news about Danny. She’d been excited, and made him promise that she would be in his wedding, even though neither of them had any idea exactly what form it would take. Except now Steve knew Danny was shooting for the Royal Hawaiian in June.  He was fine with that.

The plane banked further east, tilting the ocean and clouds out of Steve’s view, and flooding sunlight down onto his lap, glinting the diamonds of his engagement ring, catching his eye as he sat and considered it for the second time that afternoon. It felt so long ago that he’d freaked out and run off, thinking Danny had intended the ring for Rachel, before he caught up with Steve and told him it was meant for his finger. Now, should he ever need a reminder that Danny had not only picked him after he’d confessed that he was in love with him, but he’d staked out his territory, all he needed to do was look down at his left hand, and so did everybody else.

They’d gotten about as far on the names question as they had with the wedding plans. Danny brought it up one afternoon during a car chase, and he seemed frustrated when Steve said he honestly hadn’t thought about it. He’d lain awake later that night thinking about it, trying some names on for size. He didn’t like Steve Williams. Hyphenation was a mouthful. Of course, they could keep the names they had, but then it would complicate things if they had children. Would the children hyphenate? No, he decided. It would be one name for the two of them, and he secretly decided that night he would make Danny a McGarrett—he just had to find the right time to bring it up. One didn’t just spill those beans to Danny whenever there was a free breath to spare. He’d have to be suitably warmed up and in the mood for that kind of conversation.

He was settled into his case files by the time Chaz came by with the beverage cart, from which Steve happily accepted a plastic cup of POG. This was immediately followed by the meal cart, the sight of which found Steve oddly hungry again, even though Danny flickered across his mind briefly as he wondered why his appetite had returned so suddenly even if he’d been lunching across from his partner only a few hours prior. He should have taken that sandwich.

 _When in Rome (Or in the air)._ Steve thought. _Ooh, that’s a good looking taco salad, even for $10. Yes, please!_

The food was gone before he knew it, and Chaz commented on it when he picked up the tray.

“Surprised you didn’t eat the tray too!” He joked.

“Almost did.” Steve smiled back. “Got any more of those? That was _ono._ ”

“All out. That one’s popular on these flights.” He lowered his voice. “I’ll see what I can find though.” He said with a wink as he continued through with the cart. He was back some time later with a trash bag containing two extra sandwiches and a bunch of bags of pretzels.

“So who are you leaving behind at home?” he asked with a knowing smile, leaning against the top of the empty aisle seat a row ahead of Steve.

Steve chuckled. “How did you know?”

“You’re not the first lovesick passenger to try and wipe out my galley. First time apart?”

Steve nodded.

Chaz smiled and patted Steve’s shoulder. “It doesn’t get any easier, trust me. When you miss ‘em is when you figure out they got you good.”

After some time Chaz excused himself back to the galley, and Steve dozed off listening to the Territorial Airwaves channel on the inflight entertainment system while the moon rose ahead of the serenely cruising aircraft.

***

It was dark when Steve woke up again, and the sandwich and pretzel wrappers he left in his ravenous wake had disappeared off the seat next to him, and he could make out the California coastline glittering ahead as the plane made its final approach into LAX. He didn’t remember dozing off, but he didn’t feel at all rested either, like he’d slept just enough to be even more tired than he was when he left Hawai’i. Tired was good though. It was nearly eleven at night, but to him it still felt like nine.

The landing was smooth and the taxi to the gate swift, and Steve relaxed at as the cool California night air wafted in through the aircraft door.

“Mahalo, Steve. Maybe we’ll see you on the flip side.” Chaz smiled as Steve stepped off onto the jet bridge.

Steve threw up a shaka. “You got it! Mahalo!”

LAX was a sight different from Honolulu. Colder, faster, noisier, and smelled more like emissions. Steve felt the lump in his throat return. Leaving the aircraft and the cheery Hawaiian boarding music behind was like leaving Hawai’i behind again. Steve reflected on how it had never felt that way leaving Hawai’i before, not even for the first time for Annapolis those many years ago. But now, it was different. Danny was in Hawai’i, and it felt more like home than he’d ever known.

Suddenly in a hurry to get to the hotel, he picked up his pace and trotted across the tiled terminal floor when he remembered he’d been out of touch for five hours, fished his phone out of his pocket and waited while it searched for a new signal. A flood of incoming texts popped up on his screen. One from Mary:

 _Sorry brother, in Tijuana for the week. Next time. Aloha._

One from Kono:

 _You left the phone records behind. Check your e-mail._

And three from Danny:

 _Watching your plane fly over. Miss you already babe. Safe trip._

 _I’ll be in the recital when you get in. I’ll call you when I’m done._

 _Gracie says she misses you too, and bring her back a present._

Steve grinned. He hadn’t even thought about it, but it was a perfect suggestion. He made a mental note of the terminal shops before stepping on the escalator, just in case he didn’t have time to make a stop in the city.

He fired off three responses on the escalator:

To Mary:

 _Next time._

To Kono:

 _Mahalo._

To Danny:

 _Saw HQ from the plane. Miss you too. What would she like – and what can I bring you?_

Steve bristled as he stepped outside. The evening air was even cooler now, with a light breeze that was sodden with the promise of rain. The concrete monstrosity of the ramps and turn lanes and parking garages of the arrival and departure area added to the coldness, as did the glare of the white-bright lights dotted all over.

The wait for the shuttle seemed forever, but a familiar ring tone filled the bus as it was passing United Airlines International Arrivals in Terminal 6.

“Hey you.” Steve smiled into the phone, voice soft. 

“Hey there’s my guy!” Steve could hear Danny smiling back. “How was your flight? Are you at the hotel?”

“On the shuttle. Almost to the hotel.” Steve said. “My flight was good. Good service, good food.”

“You ate again? Not the crappy little petrified sandwich? You should have taken the rest of mine.”

Steve rolled his eyes. “Couple of ‘em. And a taco salad. And some pretzels.” He was hungry again, too. “Where are you, Danny? I hear elevator music.”

“Foodland. I stopped at home before going to Gracie’s thing and the refrigerator is absolutely bare, except for your hand grenade.” He chuckled.

“That’s lemon juice. Gag gift. Honest. You can check it when you get home. What are you buying?”

“Staples. Milk. Eggs. Bread.”

“Are you making French Toast or something?” Steve laughed.

“No, just – that’s what staples are! Milk. Eggs. Bread. I guess also happens to be what you use in French toast. Actually I think I will make French toast, now that you mention it – tomorrow morning. And you won’t be here to have any of it. So there.”

“You’re not making French Toast for breakfast, Danny.” Steve mock sighed.

“Oh no? What am I going to have then, Super SEAL? Tell me.”

“You’re going to have the rest of the Cocoa Puffs you’ve already opened that I can hear you munching on while you shop.”

There was a pause, and even though he knew Danny was mouthing it, he could have sworn he heard the word “Shit.” come out.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He said, quickly.

“I do. I know you, Danno. Did you take my extra card out of the drawer by the sink?”

“No, I’ve got mine.”

“Danny, let me get food. You’re hard up enough.”

”Babe, I can do it this once. It’s ok. We should probably get a joint account at some point anyway.” Danny sounded vulnerable.  

“Yeah, good idea. When I get home.” Steve said. He could tell by the sound of Danny’s voice he’d been meaning to bring it up but had been afraid to. That was how it seemed to work between them—when Danny was vulnerable and scared, Steve was sure and confident. When Steve was full of insecurity and self-doubt, Danny’s steely resolve became his touchstone.

The shuttle had pulled up in front of the hotel by this time, and the skies had made good on their threat of rain.

“Hey Danno, let me let you go. I’m going to check-in and get a bite. Will you be up for a bit?”

“Yeah babe, it’s still early here.”

“Ok, talk to you soon baby.”

“Later, you.”

Steve checked in swiftly and noticed it was raining harder over the airport as he walked along the windowed corridor to his room. The room was nothing exciting, until his search for the room service menu was successful and his third salad of the day (Caesar) and a much-satisfying grilled chicken sandwich soon arrived.  He talked to Danny again, for about an hour, about nothing in particular, more about Grace’s piano thing, minutiae about the case, Danny complaining about the temperamental hot water heater. He soon noticed it was after one in the morning, so he said his goodnight to Danny and lay back in bed, hoping sleep would come.

He found himself regretting he’d slept on the plane as he lay in bed for the first hour, unable to sleep. The second hour was spent adjusting the environment. Air conditioning on, air conditioning off. Television on, television off. Bathroom light on and off, lamp on and off, briefs on and off. He took a shower, jerked off, and even tried sleeping upright in a chair. Nothing worked.

Steve knew this was more than travel, it was more than jetlag, and it was more than unfamiliar hotel beds. He’d dealt with all those before. In the field, if you needed to sleep, you slept, because you didn’t know when you might get the chance again. Somehow this special talent had fled since he’d been home.

 _Home._

He knew what it was. He’d never felt _home_ before, and he was addicted. No waking up in the middle of the night and looking over at the outline of his sleeping partner next to him. No being startled into a brief half sleep when Danny crawled back into bed in the wee hours after a visit to the bathroom or the kitchen. He’d never spent so much time sleeping with someone else before in his life, learning the other person’s routines and habits. Danny liked a glass of water on his bedside table at bedtime, and he woke up periodically during the night and took sips. That accounted for his bathroom visits. But the kitchen visits threw Steve off the first time he noticed it. It was almost as though Danny couldn’t make it eight hours of sleep without sustenance.

Some nights Danny woke up hungry, other nights he woke up horny, and he wasn’t at all shy about waking Steve up to take care of him, and always in the same way – a soft whisper, the brush of Danny’s whiskers against his neck, front or back, depending on how he was sleeping, and once he was awake Danny would get right to business, a hand slipping between his thighs and firmly spreading them apart, taking his position between them and setting immediately to work. He never lasted very long, his weight bearing more heavily on Steve than other times when he was more awake, spending himself quickly and falling to sleep just as quickly after he finished, often still on top of Steve, who would stroke his scalp and shoulders and back, until his breathing slowed from his exertions quickly back into the measured cadence of slumber.

Sometime during the 3 o’clock hour he bolted upright in bed, remembering that Danny had left something in his bag for when he felt lonely. He found it under his swimsuit – a small framed photo of himself and Danny, sitting leaning against the railing of their deck at sunset, Danny’s arms around Steve’s waist and his head on his shoulder. Steve smiled and put the photo on the nightstand.  There was also a note, written in Danny’s scratch, on yellow legal paper:

 _Steven:_

 _I’m sitting at my desk thinking of what to say. I don’t consider myself the most articulate man, and putting paper in front of me doesn’t help._

 _Just know that I’m thinking of you while you are gone. In the car, at the office, at home – I’ll see you even though you’re not here. And in return I want you to know wherever you want me, or wherever you need me, there I’ll be. I want you to want nothing, to fear nothing (although I have a feeling you already fear little), and most of all, I want everything in your life to be beautiful, and perfect, and good. I’m here for you babe, and I always will be._

 _Love,_

 _Your Danno_

Steve’s cheeks tickled with tears he hadn’t realized were spilling. Without thinking, he reached for his phone and called Danny. Halfway through the second ring he realized it was after midnight in Hawai’i, even with the time change, but Danny sounded alert when he picked up on the third.

“I thought I might hear from you again. Can’t sleep, sweetheart?”

“Sweetheart, that’s a new one. No, I can’t sleep.” Steve wiped his tears away.

“Thought I’d try it on for size. You read my note.”

“Yeah.” Steve admitted through the lump in his throat, knowing as soon as the words left his mouth Danny would be able to tell he was crying. Danny didn’t let him down.

“Hey, hey, baby, it’s ok. You’re ok, right? Tell me.” Danny soothed.

“I just miss you Danno. I can’t sleep without you.” Steve felt wretchedly needy, but he needed to say it.

“You’re going to be no good tomorrow if you don’t sleep. Wish I could be there babe.” Danny sighed.

“Tell me about home. What’re you still doing up?” Steve changed the subject to something more sensible. He needed to hear something comfortable and familiar.

“I’m on the deck, having some ice cream, and listening to some Patti Page. It’s a nice night out. No clouds. Gracie’s over. Rachel called while I was at the store and said she asked if she could stay over tonight after I told her you were gone.”

“Did you change the sheets on her bed? I don’t think I’ve gotten around to it since we bought them.” Steve said.

“She’s in our bed, babe. We were watching _The Little Mermaid_ when she fell asleep and I came down to get a nosh.”

“You bought ice cream? What kind?” Steve asked.

“Kaua’i Pie from [Lappert’s](http://www.lappertshawaii.com/home.html). And yes, I will be finishing it before you get home.”

“Sounds like you made a bunch of stops tonight.”

“Well, you know, driving is such a novelty for me these days.”

Steve grinned at the way Danny negotiated the word “novelty” with his Jersey accent. They chatted for a few more moments.

“Well babe, I’ve killed this ice cream, and Patti’s warbled her heart out, and I’m dragging. You any sleepier now?”

“I think I’ll be ok Danno.” Steve lied.

“You really should try melatonin.” Danny said. “You call me if you need anything ok? I miss you. Aloha.”

“Love you too baby. Talk to you soon.”

“Hey wait, Steve?”

“Yeah?”

“What’s your room number, in case I can’t get your phone, I’ll call the hotel.”

“Aww, thanks babe. 1203.”

“Awesome. Mahalo. Aloha and goodnight my love.”

Steve looked at the screen on his phone and waited for Danny’s face to disappear after he hung up. He didn’t feel much better, but he was ready to try sleeping again. He rolled over and gazed at the picture he’d set on the nightstand. Danny looked so contented, resting on his shoulder, and he wished he was then.

“Goodnight, Danno.”

***

The rain had cleared overnight, and the day turned out to be an incredibly bright and clear one for LA. The interrogations didn’t go as well as expected, and they expected to need Steve for as long as possible the next day before his flight home.

He’d called Danny three times already that day, and he was thankful Danny had been so patient with his rambling, just to hear his voice respond, although his last call to him from the squad car on the way back to the hotel went straight to voicemail, so he wondered if his battery hadn’t died. He was pretty bad about that sometimes.

Steve had eaten all day, but the first thought on his mind was food, and he didn’t even go up to the room first – he went straight to the [Daily Grill](http://dailygrill.com/locations/daily-grill-century-blvd-california) and had a New York Strip, grilled medium rare. Steve felt that in some strange way, the void he felt was something carnal, and perhaps a good slab of meat might put pain to it, although he didn’t feel much better trying Danny again on his way back to the room to find his phone was still dead.

Frustrated, he went for a jog. Century Boulevard at sunset was an interesting mix of tourists, business people, hotel and airport workers, even vagrants, a microcosm of the City of Los Angeles at edged up against its famed port of entry and exit. Steve jogged past fast food joints he wasn’t familiar with, the massive United Cargo complex, billboards for airlines he’d never heard of.

The food had reenergized him. He’d fallen into a half-sleep about a half hour before his wakeup call, and he was surprised he was even coherent, but getting back to the hotel, fully expecting to fall dead asleep within minutes, he still found himself wide awake, albeit exhausted, after two oldy-moldy Audrey Hepburn flicks. He’d just gotten off the phone with room service yet again when Danny finally called around 11.

“Hey babe. Phone died again?”

“Yeah. Yeah it did.”

“How was your day?”

“Exhausting.” Danny said. “I can’t wait to get to bed. I bet you’re pretty tired too.”

“Absolutely wiped, but can’t sleep.” He rubbed his eyes.

“Still? Do you think you need to see a doctor, babe?” Danny’s concerned voice took hold.

“I think I’ll be ok when I get back home to you. I just think I’m too used to sleeping next to you.”

There was a sharp rap at the door. “Hey Danny, that’s my room service. Gimme just a sec will ya?”

“Sure thing babe.”

Steve slipped his cargo pants back on to answer the door, padded across the carpet and pulled open the door.

Danny smiled up at him, his blue eyes sparkling.  

“Aloha.”

Steve stared at him for a second, as though he wasn’t really there, before he reached out and snatched him up, right off his feet, and held him tight until he was convinced he really was there – that he really had flown all the way to the Mainland just to share his bed so he could sleep.

Danny wrapped his arms around Steve’s shoulders and kissed him as Steve staggered backwards into the room, Danny’s feet dangling over his while Steve held him in the kiss before setting him down.

“I can’t believe you’re here.” He smiled.

“I think we’ll both sleep better tonight, babe.”


End file.
